Diamorphine death inquest under way

An inquest is probing the death of a man given a fatal dose of diamorphine by a locum doctor

The inquest into the death of a man who died after he was administered a fatal dose of diamorphine by an overseas locum doctor is due to open.

David Gray, 70, from Manea in Cambridgeshire, suffered kidney stones and severe pain for several years. On February 16, 2008 his partner contacted an out of hours medical service which sent Dr Daniel Ubani to his home, said his family's lawyers.

Dr Ubani injected him with 100mg of the drug - 10 times the maximum recommended dose, said a spokesman for Anthony Collins Solicitors.

The 66-year-old doctor from Germany was working on his first shift in the UK, said the spokesman.

Dr Ubani was charged with death by negligence at a court in Witten in Germany, given a nine-month suspended sentence and ordered to pay 5,000 euros costs, he said.

The inquest at Wisbech Coroner's Court in Cambridgeshire is expected to continue to February 4.